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The Black Archives co-founder links his decision to research into the Dutch royal family’s colonial past and criticises the king’s response.
What has changed? · 02/10/2026, 15:17 UTC
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Mitchell Esajas, a co-founder of The Black Archives and New Urban Collective, says he is handing back a Dutch royal honour awarded to him in 2023. He links the decision to research into the House of Orange-Nassau’s role in the colonial past. [1]
According to Nieuws.nl, Esajas considered King Willem-Alexander’s response to the research insufficiently forceful. Speaking from Kormantse in Ghana, he said words about reconciliation and connection were not enough while economic and racial inequality persisted. [1]
He said the findings did not surprise him and described the research as showing that the royal house had benefited in various ways from slavery and colonialism. Esajas praised the king for commissioning the work, while also crediting years of campaigning by Black communities. [1]
Esajas received the honour for his civic work with Kick Out Zwarte Piet, New Urban Collective and The Black Archives. He said he still valued it as recognition of that work but no longer wanted to wear it. [1]
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